01_48old_2009_3angol:4 1/24/10 3:49 PM Page 4 2009 Goyang WWC disproven by the 2009 Goyang WWC, while natural- 2009 Goyang WWC Go(ing) ly not surpassing the Chinese miracle it certainly came very close to the 2008 highlight in more than one respect. Young in The large, comfortable and beautiful venue at the KIN- TEX Exhibition Centre, the Korea? top level management of the event, spectacular and elegant opening and closing cere- The first senior World Cham- monies, the luxurious accom- pionships held in Korea was modation, the reliable and one of the best ever organised precise transport system and in this sport. This statement the kind hospitality of the will not be questioned by any- hosts must be credited to the one who had the chance to Organizing Committee head- attend the 77th men’s and 20th ed by Goyang City Mayor Women’s World Champi- Kang Hyun-Suk and the expe- onships held in Goyang City, rienced staff of the Korean just off Seoul, in Korea, 20th Weightlifting Federation, Even the ceremonies hosted by the Koreans were rookies at senior world cham- true to the WWC slogan pionships. Among the ladies, “Lift the Limit!” out of the 133 competitors we had seen only 28 (!) in Beijing just a year ago, while 66 of “Road to London”. And them were first-timers on the indeed, as often happens in world championships plat- post-Olympic years, many of form. the protagonists “went young” and – though not an official qualification event to the 2012 Olympic Games - the WWC proved to be the first important stop on the Road to Lon- Dr. Aján, Goyang City Mayor Mr. Kang, KWF President don. The expected Mr. Yeo and Mr. Yodbangtoey cutting the cake change of guards did come about; with some of the former to 29th November 2009, under its President Yeo Mu- great champions either whether in the capacity of ath- Nam. Participants, in turn, having retired or even- lete, coach, official or journal- offered an array of highly tually defeated at ist. exciting and open-to-the-last- Goyang, and new After the magnificent Beijing minute battles, unexpected shooting stars repre- Olympic Games the word was winners, bravura perfor- senting the younger out that it was the ultimate mances by new countries and generation emerging. peak, the maximum, and no new champions. Of the 196 male par- other host would ever be able The Championships’ slogan ticipants only 56 had to match its standards. Now, was, formed from the host stood on the Beijing The most enthusiastic World such assumptions were partly city’s name, “Go Young” and stage and 87 of them were Championships fan 4 01_48old_2009_3angol:4 1/24/10 3:49 PM Page 5 Having assiduously collected Olympic and world champi- Russian various medals for the last ons offhandedly. As for few years, Eko Yuli Irawan Turkey, Sibel Özkan Öz changed categories and in the opened their golden source by men failed same move traded his earlier winning the clean and jerk. So silver and bronze medals for far, 23 countries have won to win any gold ones. He thus captured women’s gold medals. Indonesia’s first men’s world title. Yet the Indonesian gold medals women are still leading with Same Russia won their first world their five world championship champion title in 1899, then, gold medals tally. Indonesia is 2009 Goyang WWC after some break, Russian the 48th country boasting country weightlifters restarted to col- men’s world champions. lect such titles in 1993 and Sedov stepped in for Ilin to produce continued to pile up the gold and retained the title for medals until now. The Rus- Kazakhstan sian male team came to Korea heaviest as the owner of 39 gold Kazakhstan medals – and it left with the Goyang City the women’s men’s and same number. soaring team collected eight medals, of which seven are (!) gold – Ilya Ilin raised Kazakhstan one more than the Chinese. heaviest into the world’s élite by his Indonesia senior world champion titles women’s entered Armenia world the log and Turkey champions In the history of the world of nations celebrate championships it happened for the first time that the same country – Korea – gave both with senior their first the men’s and the women’s world champions in the men world female superheavyweight category. Unknown internationally, world An Yong-Kwon scored an champion unexpected, top favourite Olympic and world champion titles champions Jang Mi-Ran captured an Nazik Avdalyan made the hat expected victory for the host trick for Armenia. She was, at country. The latter’s new Sibel Özkan the same time, one of the 187kg world record is the Öz excelled biggest surprises of 2009 heaviest weight ever lifted for Turkey WWC as she defeated by a woman. in 2006. In 2009 Sedov confirmed Kazak supremacy, but at the same time the coun- try’s women also started to amaze the world. In Irawan, Indonesia The world’s strongest man in 2009: An Yong-Kwan from Korea 5.